Carlos Sobral

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Carlos Sobral began his career as a designer in Rio de Janeiro during the Hippie movement of the 1960s. At the time, Sobral was creating leather handbags as well as sandals crafted from recycled tires and jewelry made with metal corroded in acid. From the very beginning, Sobral discovered his affinity for working with unusual recycled materials, an environmentally-responsible practice he continues to this day.

For years, Sobral traveled between craft fairs and cultural events, and even knocked on restaurant doors, to find buyers for his hand-crafted goods. But distribution was difficult, as there were many other artists creating similar products and selling in the same markets. However, in 1976, Sobral stumbled across a new material – resin – that would prove to be a turning point in his career.

At a craft fair in Cabo Frio, Sobral first saw jewelry made by Argentinean artisans from polyester resin. Immediately seeing the possibilities associated with this unique material, Sobral asked the artists for information about the raw material, but not surprisingly, they demurred. However, Sobral was entranced and when he finally discovered a source of resin through his own detective work, he was determined to work with this new material, and he built a workshop on a small farm located in Jardim Alvorada, Nova Iguaçu, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro. Here, he launched his new company, Genesis, which over time would evolve into the now world-famous company, Sobral. He lives and works here still, with his wife Elisa, and their many adopted stray dogs.

The many colors and shapes that could be created from this unique, natural material were an instant inspiration for the young designer. From that point on, Sobral learned everything he could about resin, and he focused all of his energies on designing jewelry. Despite its small size, Genesis immediately garnered attention in fashion world.

The advent of the 1980s left the Hippie movement behind, the fashion world became more sophisticated, and Genesis evolved into Memphis, a better-equipped workshop that shared space with the local samba school. In 1982, inexperienced and without a word of French in his vocabulary, Sobral traveled to Paris prepared to take the fashion world by storm. Arriving in the midst of Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, Sobral opened his portable display case and faced the difficult challenge selling anything during the summer months when Parisians head to the country for holidays. Learning from this experience, the following year Sobral chose the right moment to return to Paris, and his designs quickly became as popular in Europe they were in Brazil, and by 1988, Sobral was running a million dollar company. Sobral continued to grow in size and popularity through the 1980s and 1990s, earning recognition and respect throughout the jewelry and fashion industries worldwide.

In 1991, Sobral opened a store in the sophisticated Rio neighborhood of IpaNnema, the first of many Sobral boutiques, and his continued success in Paris is emphasized by the many awards he has won. In recognition of his fierce sense of design and attention to quality, Sobral has received the prestigious Etoile de Mode five times at the famed BIJORHCA designer jewelry show in Paris. Singled out among 600 exhibitors from around the world, Sobral was honored by the Designer Jury in September 2004, by the College Jury of the Paris Fashion School in January and September 2005, by the press Jury in January 2006, and by the Shop Jury in September 2006. In 2006, he also won the ultimate honor, the Best in Show award for his famed “Pop Art” collection. Taken by Sobral’s success, in 2007, legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld commissioned Sobral to create accessories for the Maison Karl Lagerfeld Summer 2008 collection, and Sobral had the satisfaction of seeing pieces bearing his name and that of the iconic Lagerfeld shown on the Parisian runway.

Today, Sobral has stores in New York, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Heidelberg, Honfleur, Buzios and Paraty – a total of 17 Sobral boutiques throughout the America’s and Europe. Sobral also has a vast network of distributors, and Sobral designs are sold in hundreds of authorized retail shops on four continents.

In addition to being a designer, Sobral is also a humanitarian. His 160 employees’ receive meals, medical care and a retirement plan, rare employee benefits in Brazil. Sobral also partners with the Museum of the Republic to train poor children to in the art of making costume jewelry. Sobral’s entire production process is also eco-friendly, all the way through to his 100% oxy-biodegradable packaging.

References

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